MUMBAI: Starting 14th January, Power of Nature, sponsored by Nikon, returns to bbc.com andBBC World News for a new 10 part series revealing there’s more to the Earth’s great wild places than just their natural beauty.

Using extraordinary HD imagery,the individualfour minute filmsfocus on a diverse range ofthe Earth’s most spectacular places and uncover the profound impact some of our planet’s animalshave on their habitats. From the gardener elephants of the tropical rainforests to the sea otters of the North Pacific, the series will include stunning natural imagery and will feature interviews with world renowned scientists and biologists who explain the importance of these complex ecosystems that allow our planet to thrive.

Dr M Sanjayan, Lead Scientist with The Nature Conservancy and contributor for the Power of Nature series, said:“Viewers will see these animals and the worlds they inhabit in an entirely different way. They will learn how animals are critical actors, shaping the health and well-being of the human race.Putting these stories on bbc.com and BBC World News, underscores the importance of understanding these new, surprising facts about our world.”

The Power of Nature series will be available as short films on 14th January at 3.30pm BBC World News and online at www.bbc.com/powerofnature.

Further details about each short film include:

ELEPHANTS: Mega-gardeners of the Forest
The tropical rainforests of Africa and Asia play a crucial role in keeping our planet healthy. In this film Lead Scientist with The Nature Conservancy, Dr M Sanjayan, Dr Valerie Kapos of the UN Environment Programme, and tropical field biologist and conservationist Dr Ian Redmond uncover the crucial role that forest elephants play in keeping these forests strong and resilient.

WOLVES: Forest Stewards
After a seventy year absence, wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995. It was hoped they would protect the rising elk population – but they did much more than that. In this film Lead Scientist with The Nature Conservancy, Dr M Sanjayan, Dr Valerie Kapos of the UN Environment Programme and animal behaviourist Kirsty Peake describe the surprising effect the returning wolves have had – not just on their prey, but on the rivers, forests and even the landscape.

WHALES: Gardeners of the Ocean
Whales are among the biggest animals that have ever lived. In this film Conservation Biologist Dr Joe Roman and Marine Scientist Stephanie Wear describe how whales restore valuable nutrients to surface waters, starting a chain reaction that stretches into the atmosphere and our lives.

SEA OTTERS: Guardians of the Kelp
The kelp forests fringing the North Pacific coast are one of the most bountiful marine ecosystems on Earth. One of the kelp’s most endearing denizens, the Sea Otter, is key to its success. In this film, marine ecologist Professor James A Estes, cameraman Doug Allan, ecological economist PavanSukhdev, and lead scientist with the Nature Conservancy, Dr M Sanjayan reveal how sea otters eat sea urchins which would otherwise devour the kelp and disrupt the web of life that relies on it.

SALMON: Heart of the Forest
The Great Bear Rainforest on Canada’s Pacific Coast is the largest temperate rainforest left on Earth. This forest owes its existence to an ocean-dweller - the Pacific Salmon. In this film ecological economist PavanSukhdev and Lead Scientist with The Nature Conservancy reveal the unlikely hero at the core of the success of these ancient woodlands.

VULTURES: Earth’s Clean-up Crew
Vultures soar above some of our planet’s most spectacular scenery – from the vast plains of Africa to the stunning Andes mountain range in South America. In this film Ecological Economist PavanSukhdev, Lead Scientist with The Nature Conservancy Dr M Sanjayan, Jemima Parry-Jones Director of the International Centre for Birds of Prey and Dr Ananya Mukherjee, Vulture Safe Zone Coordinator explain what happened when India’s vultures almost went extinct at the turn of the century.

HIMALAYAS: Water Tower of Asia
The Himalayas are the greatest mountain range on Earth. In this film Environmental Economist, PavanSukhdev, wildlife cameraman, Doug Allan, and Ecological Economist, Dr Trista Patterson reveal not only the natural beauty and diversity of the Himalayas but also the hidden and essential contribution they make to life on the planet.

SAHARA: Life Giving Sands
The Sahara is hot, barren and dusty. But hidden within the dust are minerals left from an earlier more fertile time. In this film Professor of Sedimentology at Birkbeck College, Charlie Bristow, Lead Scientist at The Nature Conservancy, Dr M Sanjayan and Environmental Economist, PavanSukhdev reveal the Saraha’s hidden ability to nourish ecosystems round the planet.

SUNDARBANS: Nature's Bioshield
TheSundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world. Stretching along the coastline of India and Bangladesh, this delicately balanced ecosystem is the haunt of tigers. In this film Sustainability Advisor and Author, Tony Juniper, Environmental Economist, PavanSukhdev, and Lead Scientist with The Nature Conservancy, Dr M Sanjayan, reveal the wildlife this strange and magical forest supports.

CORAL REEFS: Underwater Pharmacy
Coral reefs are one of the most bio-diverse habitats on the planet - a kaleidoscope of colour and life – a quarter of all marine species are found here. In this film Ecological Economist, Dr Trista Patterson, Lead Scientist with The Nature Conservancy, Dr M Sanjayan and Professor Callum Roberts, Marine Conservation Biologist, reveal the richness of life supported by Coral Reefs but also the contribution these colourful ecosystems are making to medical science.

The sponsorship arrangement was facilitated by BBC Advertising, which sells advertising and sponsorship solutions on behalf of BBC World News and bbc.com.